This invention relates to electrical connectors, and more particularly to an electrical connector containing a switch mechanism which is actuated by making or breaking the connection between the connector and a mating connector.
Electrical connectors are used in modern electronic equipment (e.g., computers) for allowing various electronic components (e.g., central processor units, printers, memory units, display devices, etc.) to be interconnected in various configurations. For example, one installation of a computer system may have one memory unit connected to the central processor, while another installation of that system may have two memory units connected to the central processor. Plug-type connectors are used to allow quick and easy assembly of the desired system configuration, as well as subsequent modification of that configuration.
The central processor typically requires information as to the presence or absence of other system components. For example, the central processor typically needs to know how many memory units are connected to the system in order to determine the amount of memory available for use by the central processor. There are several known ways of making this information available to the central processor, but all are relatively complex, expensive, and otherwise disadvantageous. For example, a dummy load device can be plugged into each unused connector in order to allow the central processor to determine that those connectors are unused. Among the disadvantages of this technique are (1) the cost of manufacturing and inventorying dummy loads, (2) the possibility that required dummy loads will be inadvertently omitted or removed, and (3) the fact if a connector is put into use or taken out of use while the system is operating, the state of use of the connector is indeterminate during the time interval in which neither the dummy load nor the real load is plugged into the connector. This last point may make it necessary to shut down the system before making any change in its configuration.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of this invention to provide improved and simplified apparatus for indicating whether or not an electrical connector is connected to a mating connector.
It is another object of this invention to provide electrical connector apparatus for automatically indicating whether or not the connector is connected to a mating connector.